Christmas Eve in Macedonia

The children ring the doorbell with gusto and wait expectantly to receive treats in reward for singing a song. Sounds like Halloween doesn't it? Well, it's actually Christmas Eve in Macedonia, January 6th, and another Kolede tradition.

Like the bonfire, this special tradition has its roots in old Slavic folk religion. It was believed that the spirits of those who had died would awaken and roam the earth, going from house to house looking for food. To avoid being cursed or receiving some other evil punishment, you had to comply with thier demands.

Again, the modern Orthodox church has attempted to redeem this pagan tradition. According to the official website, "Children go from door to door singing Christmas carols, heralding the birth of Jesus, and receiving fruits, nuts and candy from the people."

The current practice, however, combines elements of the above and has simply become an annual tradition that kids look forward to each year. It's an early AM tradition too (a colleague of mine had kids at her door at 5:15AM). I'm told that in some of the villages children head out as early as 2 or 3am! The fact they head out so early in the morning would explain why I didn't see many young children at the bonfire the night before.

Here's a VERY rough translation of the song:

One icey Kolede
a tree limb fell on grandpa
grandpa was in agony.
Grandma incubates [sits on] 4 goose eggs.
Crazy happenings, Kolede!

Today is Kolede

tomorrow is Christmas
We're going to kill a calf

but the calf yells, "lele!"
I won't kill the calf

I'll give you veggies and we'll make pita

for all of us to eat. Kolede!

Kinda reminds you of "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," doesn't it? ;)

This year, when I arrived home from the bonfire, I set out my clothes, set my alarm clock and made sure the oranges and M&M's were by the door and ready for these early morning visitors. Even with all my preparations, I found myself in the shower when I heard the distinct sounds of children singing echoing down the hall and approaching my front door!

I immediately flashed back to my first Christmas here in Skopje. My language teacher had warned me that the kids would be coming around, but I thought that it would be in the evening like it is for trick-or-treaters in the US. OH! I was so wrong! My confusion and disorientation were of comic proportions when I was jarred from a deep sleep at "O-Dark-Thirty" to the incessant BUZZ of my front door and the cheery singing of children. By the time I scrambled out of bed and made myself presentable for public consumption, the kids were gone and I was left with a kilo of chestnuts and no one to give them to!

That Christmas Eve I made a promise to myself that I'd not miss the kids again. (Seriously, it's a fun way to get to know your neighborhood kids as well as get a cultural indoctrination!) Yet inexplicably each year something has happened and I refused to miss it yet again this year. So I took the fastest shower possible (Guiness would be proud), got dressed and ran out the door with fuzzy-slippered feet and wet hair flying. Yes, I admit with slight embarassment that I chased after the kids down the hall of my building. ;) One child happened to be on his way down from the upper floors, saw me and the gleeming yellow and black packets of M&M's and excitedly called to his friends, "Hey guys! Come down here! There's a lady with candy!"

Quickly, though, I relized that I wouldn't have enough oranges or candy to give out, so I quickly raided my Christmas tree of it's candy canes and hoped I'd have enough to give the kids before I had to run out the door to church. Yes, I was getting ready for the international church service during all this.

When the next group of kids came by my hair was in hot rollers (!)... so I called, "Samo moment!!" towards the door where they were eagerly singing and then ripped out the curlers and sent them flying... one was still rolling across the floor as I answered the door with big hair (VERY BIG HAIR) to the, again, appreciative kids who cheerfully sang and gladly accepted the candy canes.

After a few more groups of kids came by I hurriedly finished getting ready for church and dashed out before more kids came by as I was out of candy (and I had to get to church on time for worship practice before service). Whew! What a morning... and it was still only 8:25AM!

Christmas Eve morning was a busy one as the Macedonian churches were all having their morning services. After the international service I crunched through the fresh-fallen snow and over to the Macedonian service. It's been a long time since I've been there because of ministry responsibilities at ICS, so it was really wonderful to be able to connect again and fellowship with my Macedonian friends. :) All in all, it was a great Christmas Eve morning here in Macedonia.

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Pictured below are some ladies from the Christmas Eve service at the Orthodox Church several years ago. They're each holding oak branches. When I asked them about it, they said that they would take the branches home and place them on the doors or walls of their home to bring good health, luck and fortune to their family and home.